v. In later use Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 1 snædan (pa. t. snædde, snedde), 6– sned, 7 snedde, snad, snead, 8 snade. [OE. snǽdan, related to sníðan SNITHE v. For the shortening of the vowel cf. KEP v.]
1. trans. To cut or lop off (a branch). Also in fig. context, and with off.
a. 800. Leiden Gloss., 249, in O. E. Texts, 117. Putat, snædit.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxxiii. 222. Hit bið unnyt ðæt mon hwelces yfles boʓas snæde [etc.].
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xxi. 8. Sume þonne sneddun telgran of treowum & stræʓdun on þæm weʓe.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, XI. i. 14. Ane akin tre,… The branchis sned and kut abowt alquhair.
a. 1572. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 192. Otheris sned the branches of the Papistrie, but he stryckis at the roote.
1637. Gillespie, Eng.-Pop. Cerem., III. ii. 26. Whereby they did in some sort snedde the reviving twigs of old superstition.
1645. in Baillie’s Lett. & Jrnls. (1775), II. 94. Which [writing], although it took not away the root, yet did it sned many of the branches of the evils complained of.
1735. E. Erskine, Serm., Wks. 1871, II. 337. The Lord of the Vineyard sneds the luxuriant branches.
1829. in Brockett, N. C. Gloss. (ed. 2).
c. 1870. W. Graham, Lect. Ephes., 351. The branch sned off from the vine becomes a sport of the winds.
transf. 1786. Burns, To a Haggis, vii. He … legs, an’ arms, an’ heads will sned, Like taps o’ thrissle.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 199.
| First his richt ear he clean aff-cleft, | |
| And than he sneddit aff his left. |
b. To prune (a tree); to divest of branches.
1595. Duncan, App. Etym. (E. D. S.), Puto, autumno,… to sned trees.
1640. Rutherford, Lett. (1881), II. xxxv. 438. He is only lopping and snedding a fruitful tree, that it may be more fruitful.
1689. in 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. III. 116. I resolve rather to give it over and go home and snad trees at Polwart House.
1710. Ruddiman, Gloss. Douglas’ Æneis, s.v. Sneith, To sned, i. e. to prune timber-trees.
1894. Heslop, Northumbld. Gloss., 664. After a tree is cut down it is snedded, or divested of all its branches.
2. To cut; to form, or sever, by cutting.
In ME. this sense occurs in the comb. to-snēden.
1789. Burns, To Dr. Blacklock, vi. But I’ll sned besoms—thraw saugh woodies.
1888. W. B. Yeats, Fairy & Folk Tales, 268. He … pulled up the fir-tree,… and having snedded it into a walking-stick [etc.].
1885. A. Munro, Siren Casket, 239. Yet heart I’ve not, within this hut, To sned your thread of life.
Hence Snedded ppl. a.; Snedder; Snedding vbl. sb. (also attrib.).
1584. in Melvil’s Diary (Wodrow Soc.), 177. The snedders and delvers of the wyneyeard.
c. 1670. J. Fraser, Polichron. (S.H.S.), 269. The smith … finding the fresh sneaded branches, makes search under the tree.
1720. T. Boston, Fourfold State (1797), 279. He that would ingraft, must needs use the snedding knife.
1725. A. Jervise, Epit., etc. (1879), II. 39/1. With spade and Raik,… The snading ax and pruning knife.
1735. E. Erskine, Serm., Wks. 1871, II. 337. The snedding of the tree contributes to the … growth of the branches.
1808. Jamieson, Sneddins, the prunings, or twigs, lopped off from trees. Ibid. (1825), Suppl., Snedder, a pruner, one who lops off branches.
